Lasers pose an increasing threat to the safety of ground transportation, air transportation, and other activities. For example, soldiers, pilots, and first responders increasingly face the threat of lasers shining in their eyes and causing temporary and occasionally permanent loss of vision. Loss of vision is especially dangerous for certain groups of people such as the flight crew of an aircraft. A hand-held laser device (e.g., a laser pointer) pointed upwardly toward an aircraft at relatively high altitudes may result in glare disruption of the flight crew. For an aircraft at lower altitudes, a laser beam may result in temporary flash blindness of the flight crew. Depending upon the intensity and wavelength of the laser beam, a laser beam at short range may pose the risk of eye damage to the flight crew including temporary or permanent blindness. In addition to the above-mentioned risks that lasers pose to the flight crew of an aircraft, certain other groups of people are at risk for vision impairment due to lasers such as policemen and firemen during an emergency response involving high-speed driving.
Current devices for vision protection against laser light include laser safety goggles for use in laser laboratories. Such laser safety goggles are typically designed to block only one wavelength of light or a narrow band of wavelengths. Unfortunately, laser attacks may span a fairly wide range of wavelengths. Current devices may also include safety goggles that block a wide range of wavelengths. Unfortunately, such safety goggles are typically heavy, costly, and may block such a large portion of the visible spectrum that it may be difficult or even dangerous for the wearer to operate a vehicle. For example, such safety goggles would prevent pilots from distinguishing a red light from a green light to know when aircraft systems are failing, or prevent pilots from differentiating between airport beacons, approach lights, runway lights, and taxiway lights.
As can be seen, there exists a need in the art for an eye protection system and method for protection against laser light and which is low cost, lightweight, and allows for the safe operation of a vehicle in the event of a laser attack.